Combat Death of N.F.L. Star Is Laid to American Troops

By WARREN E. LEARY

Published: May 30, 2004

WASHINGTON, May 29—
Patrick Tillman, the former football star turned Army Ranger who died in Afghanistan last month, was probably killed by allied fire while leading his unit in combat, the Army said on Saturday.

Corporal Tillman, who died on April 22, ''probably died as a result of friendly fire while his unit was engaged in combat with enemy forces,'' the Army said in a statement. An investigation made no specific finding of fault in the incident, the statement said.

Lt. Gen. Philip R. Kensinger Jr., head of the Army Special Operations Command, read a statement summarizing an investigation into Corporal Tillman's death at a brief news conference at the command's headquarters at Fort Bragg, N.C.

General Kensinger, who did not take questions, said the manner of Corporal Tillman's death did not diminish the bravery and sacrifice of someone who responded to enemy fire ''without regard to his own safety.''

The allied-fire account of Corporal Tillman's death was first reported on Saturday by The Arizona Republic and The Argus of Fremont, Calif..

Corporal Tillman, who gave up a lucrative National Football League contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army, is one of the highest profile soldiers to die during the war on terrorism. He served in Iraq during his first tour of duty, and was sent to Afghanistan for a second tour.

The athlete, who joined the Army in June 2002, was posthumously promoted from specialist to corporal and awarded a Purple Heart and the Silver Star for valor because of his actions.

At the time of his death, the Army said Corporal Tillman and an Afghan soldier had been killed, and two other Americans had been wounded, when they came under attack southwest of their base in the town of Khost, near the Pakistan border. The Army said that his platoon had not initially been in danger, but that Corporal Tillman had led his unit up a hill and directed their fire to support another unit that had been ambushed.

Near the top of the hill, he was shot while firing his rifle, the service said.

An unclassified summary of the Army's investigation into the incident, also released on Saturday, said the platoon had been moving to another sector when one of its vehicles broke down and could not be repaired in the field. On April 22, the platoon was split, with one section towing the incapacitated vehicle and the other moving to the next operations area, in a different direction.

A half-hour later, the report said, the tow unit came under attack and Corporal Tillman's portion of the platoon came back to help. During the resulting clash, it continued, a Ranger squad leader mistakenly identified an Afghan soldier ally as part of the enemy force and fired at him. Other members of the platoon, seeing the squad leader's direction of fire, shot in the same direction, killing Corporal Tillman and the Afghan soldier, the report said.

Photo: Patrick Tillman, an ex-N.F.L. player, joined the Army Rangers. (Photo by Associated Press)